Clothes-line reel.



Wihyzsses T91R91 9 I z 7; /6' y 1 V @florgeys No. 690,5 88. Patented Ian. 7, I902.

P. KBEX. CLOTHES LINE REEL.

(Application md July 24, 1901.

(No Model.)

W/ Wm Ill UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE.

PAUL KREX, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOTH ES-LINE REEL.

SPEC IFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,588, dated January 7, 1902.

Application filed J uly 24, 1901. Serial No. 691545. (No model.) i

The invention relates to improvementsin clothes-line reels.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of clothes-line reels and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one adapted to be readily handled and capable of enabling a clothes-line to be quickly wound up when not in use and to be readily unwound when putting it up for use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reel of this character in which the shaft maybe readily locked against rotation for preventing the clothesline from being accidentally unreeled.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a reel constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of one end of the reel. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the ratchet-wheel. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the pawl, illustrating the manner of securingthe same to the pivot upon which it is mounted. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the pivot. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the keeper.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates an approximately "circular frame composed of circular ends 2 and 3, and connecting-strips 4, which may be of any desired number and which are suitably secured to the peripheries of the ends 2 and 3. The ends 2 and 3 are provided with central bearing-openings for the reception of a longitudinal shaft 5, upon which the clothes-line is to be reeled and which is provided at one end with an exterior crank-handle 6 for enabling the clothes-line to be readily wound up. The shaft is provided at one end with a circular head '7, and it has a thin circular secured to the ratchet-wheel.

head 8, located at its other end and arranged at the inner face of a ratchet-wheel 9, w'hich is located between the head'8 and the adjacent end 2 of the frame. The ratchet-wheel is keyed orotherwise secu red to the adjacent end of the shaft, and the head is preferably In order to enable a clothes-line to .be readily connected to the shaft, a strap 10 is provided, andone end of the strap is secured to the shaft at the center thereof. The strap is provided near its other end with a buckle 11, which is arranged to receive the adjacent end of the strap, which is designed to be passed around the clothes-line, whereby the same is detachably connected to the shaft.

Theframe is provided at the center of one of its strips with a projecting handle 12, by means of which it may be conveniently held in one hand, while the shaft is being rotated by the other hand. The shaft is held against accidental retrograde rotation by meansof a pivoted pawl 13, which is arranged to engage the ratchet-wheel and which is held out of such engagement when the clothes-line is being unreeled to permit the shaft to rotate freely. The pawl 13, which is slightly curved, is preferably constructed of a piece of resilient sheet metal, having one end 14: bent upon itself to provide a leaf or flange for engaging a loop or bond 15 of a pivot 1a The pivot 16, which is passed through a perforation of the end 2 of the frame, is provided at its outer end with an arm 17,and its inner end is bent upon itself to provide the loop or head 15, which is approximately U-shaped and about which thepawl is secured. The inner leaf or portion formed by the end 14 is bent inward between the sides of the loop or bend 15 to secure it to the same; but it may be riveted or otherwise fastened thereto. The arm 17 forms a handle and is engaged by a keeper 19, and the latter is preferably constructed of a single piece of wire, which is bent to form an inner seat or recess 20 and an outer seat or recess 22. The keeper is provided between the recesses with an outwardly-projecting portion, consisting of an approximately U -shaped bend 21 and formingopposite shoulders. The terminalsof the wire of which the keeper is constructed are embedded in the head 2,which is preferably constructed of wood. When the arm 17 of the pivot is swung inward from the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 4; of the drawings to that shown in full lines in the same figure, it is carried from the outer seat or recess 22 to the inner seat or recess 20, which holds the pawl in engagement with the ratchet-wheel. When the pawl is in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, it has sufficient resiliency to permit the teeth of the ratchet-wheel to pass it when the shaft is rotated forwardly. The outer seat or recess 22 is adapted to receive the arm 17 for holding the pawl out of engagement with the ratchetwheel to permit the shaft to rotate freely in either direction.

It will be seen that the clothes-line reel is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is strong and durable, and that as the frame, the shaft, and the heads thereof are constructed of wood there will be no metal for rusting a clothes-line. Also it will be seen that the device will enable a clothes-line to be quickly reeled on the shaft and that the pawl may be held out of engagement with the ratchet-Wheel to permit the shaft to rotate freely in unwinding the clothesline. Also it will be seen that after the clothes-line has been unwound to a greater or less extent the reel maybe locked to p revent the shaft from rotating and the device may then be left attached to the line. When the line is entirely unwound from the shaft, it may be detached from the strap and the device may be put away until it is necessary to rewind the line, and any suitable means may be provided for enabling the clothes-line reel to be hung up out of the way when it is not in use.

What I claim is- In a clothes-line reel, the combination of a frame, a shaft journaled in the frame, a ratchet-wheel mounted on the shaft and located within the frame,a pivot passing through the same and provided with an exterior resilient arm, a resilient pawltsecnred to the inner end of the pivot and engaging the ratchet-wheel and adapted to be swung out of such engagement, and the keeper mounted on the exterior of the frame and having inner and outer seats to receive the arm and provided with an intermediate projecting portion forming opposite shoulders, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PAUL KREX. Witnesses:

BERT E. KUSGE, PAUL SERFARS. 

